The Day I got Kicked off the HIghway. And then got back on.

I'm sorry Mr. Police Officer. I didn't know I couldn't ride on this highway. I will pretend to get off, wait until you leave, and continue.

Sunday, October 24: Lafayette to Gonzalez: about a million miles

We got a pretty late start out of Lafayette, departing around noon. Again, we knew we would be crossing a very long bridge. The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge is over 18 miles long. Most of the bridge had a wide shoulder with reflector bumps just wide enough to fit through. There were a couple of stretches where the shoulder got to about 2.5 feet, and I was just living by a prayer.

Just after one such section, I got a flat tire. After turning over the bike, repairing a puncture in the tire, and replacing the tube, a white Chevy Tahoe pulled up behind me. At first, I thought, "Oh, How nice. A local is going to offer to help." But then the flashing lights went on. I could see the officer calling in to dispatch. I hear him saying, "An idiot bicyclist is riding over this 18 mile bridge."

The officer was a little mad that I had attempted the cross, and perhaps even a little bewildered when I told him we had been riding interstate 10 since Arizona. I told him that Jacques was ahead. "Dispatch, be advised, there are TWO idiot bicyclists on this 18 mile bridge."

I distinctly remember Dispatch responding, "Officer, do you need assistance with that?" Apparently he didn't, because he told me to ride back to the previous exit while he went to get Jacques and bring him back to my exit.


Little did the officer know that I had texted Jacques to get off the freeway ASAP. I wouldn't really say that was obstructing justice; it was informing Jacques that what he was doing was illegal, and that he should cease acting in such a manner. Jacques is such a law breaker.

After obediently waiting at the exit for 20 minutes in the middle of the swamp with no roads leading anywhere but no man's land, I decided with a little urging from Jacques, to jump back on the Interstate so we could find another route that didn't involve swimming in gator infested swamp.

Luckily, I arrived to meet Jacques without getting pulled over again. Getting arrested probably wouldn't look good when I go to get sworn in to be a lawyer when I get back to Colorado. While Jacques waited for me, he talked with a couple of very friendly and helpful tourist guides who provided some directions the "back way" to Gonzales. After a couple of hours, we made it to the ferry that would take us across the mighty Mississippi River. Apparently, the I-10 bridge over the Mississippi to Baton Rouge is impassable by bike. The police situation we encountered earlier left us little choice but to jump on the ferry. We will make up that 1/4 mile ferry ride by riding extra when we get home. Actually, we probably made up for it already when we went six miles in the wrong direction trying to find the ferry.

Our host for the night was Joey. He was gracious enough to pick us up in a small town just outside of Gonzales and bring us back the following morning. Joey was super cool and hospitable!




Tomorrow: New Orleans!